13yr Old Left Stunned After Judge Exposes Killer’s Secret

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Where’s your mama at? >> Oh, she’s asleep. >> She’s asleep? Is she okay? >> She locked the door so we can’t get in. >> When’s the last time you all saw her awake? >> She was awake um yesterday. >> Yesterday? >> The cops have just arrived for what is supposed to be a routine welfare check, but almost immediately subtle warning signs begin to emerge.

>> Is the door locked? >> Yeah. >> Ma’am, police department. Need to speak with you real quick. >> I think she can’t hear you. >> Can you bang on the door loud? >> Get up. Stretch. She’s not coming. >> The moment officers move inside, the situation quickly turns far more serious than expected. >> You get that. >> It all started on May 1st, 2019, when a woman called police in Alvin, Texas, worried about her daughter, Jessica Taylor Sullivan, who had suddenly stopped answering calls.

 Days earlier, Jessica had been in a violent argument with her husband, Brandon Tyrone Garrett, who grabbed her by the throat, leaving her fearing for her life. She went to the hospital and was cleared, but things didn’t settle. Soon after returning home, Jessica warned her sister that Brandon was back and armed. She planned to leave him.

 Then, without warning, all contact stopped. Officers were sent for a welfare check, and there, the first thing they saw was something no one wanted to encounter in a situation like that. >> 01073958 01073958 >> Hi. How are y’all doing? Where’s your mom at? >> Oh, she’s asleep. >> She’s asleep? Is she okay? >> She locked the door so we can’t get in.

>> So, okay. Would you mind waking her up? Tell her that the police are here. >> We just want to talk to >> want to talk to her. She’s not in trouble. We just want to talk to her. >> Is she going to go to jail? >> No, of course not. >> Where’s your daddy at? >> Um he’s not here, I think. >> He’s not here? You think he >> He’s at work at the town.

>> Oh, okay. Okay. >> I don’t know when daddy’s going to come out. >> Seeing Jessica’s children at the door is stressful enough for the officers. They almost immediately notice questionable marks of a struggle that are visible on the door. Something feels off. >> How old are you? >> Four and five. >> You’re five? Oh my goodness.

>> I had a birthday yesterday. >> Well, happy birthday. Is your mom okay? >> Yeah. >> Okay. You all supposed to be in school today? >> Yeah, but my mom’s not awake. >> When was the last time you all saw her awake? >> She was awake um yesterday. >> Yesterday? Was your dad home yesterday? >> No. >> Okay. Could you see if she can wake up? We can talk to her.

>> I’ll tell her we’re there. >> With what the children have said so far, the situation already sounds suspicious, but the officers are at a crossroads. Without an adult present, they can’t enter the home. So, they wait and try to proceed carefully. But, soon more obstacles come up. >> Is the door locked? >> Yeah.

>> Ma’am, police department. Need to speak with you real quick. >> I think she can’t hear you. >> Can you bang on the door loud? Did the kids answer the door? >> No, the door is open. The kids answered the door. >> But the door looks like it’s been kicked in. >> Is that what you said? It looks like it’s been kicked in.

But we don’t know how recent or old that is. Okay, we’ll do. >> With the signs continuing to mount, the officers on scene have to get special permission from their superior to enter the house. What they encounter upon entering the house is haunting enough to leave even seasoned officers shaken. >> Jessica, this is Officer Errol Wynn Police Department.

 You okay? >> She can’t hear you. She’s asleep. >> We’re going to try to wake her up, okay? Make sure you guys are okay. >> Okay. >> All right. What you want to watch cartoons? You want to watch cartoons or something? >> Cartoons. >> Dumbo? >> Yeah, Dumbo. >> Yeah, you want to watch cartoons or something? Go put it Go put it on.

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Go put it on. Jessica, this is Officer Errol Wynn Police Department. We’re here for a welfare concern. Check on your well-being. You okay in there? Which one is your mom? >> That’s me. That’s my dad and my mom’s room. >> Two of you guys are in Hey, y’all go sit in y’all’s room, please. Yeah, y’all go sit in the room.

Y’all go sit down for me. 23, 104. You respond over here. >> 104, what’s up? Are you TV? >> Uh >> 104, hey dispatch, CID. Also, need a medical response assist for the kids sleeping. >> 104. >> 104, do we know if it was a male or if it was a female? I can’t get to my radio. 104, the caller needs her mother. She was on her way.

 Can I go make contact with her now? >> Yeah, just stay out there, okay? >> All right, she can stay in. We need to make sure 32 and 20 know she’s around. >> Stay clear on this. >> Yeah. >> Just stay right there. >> Should I go tell the kids? >> 104, the caller needs her mother. She was on her way. Can I go make contact with her? >> Yeah, just stay out there, okay? >> All right, she can stay in.

We need to make sure 32 and 20 know she’s around. >> Stay clear on this. Put her on the edge of the bed. >> Inside the bathroom, officers find Jessica’s cold, stiff body partially submerged in the bathtub. It quickly becomes clear this is not an accident, and the suspicion deepens. Even after the body is discovered, another dilemma remains. How to tell the children.

 So, while one officer handles the scene, another steps away to check on them. >> I want food. >> Let’s stay in the Let’s go >> I want cereal. >> What’s wrong with We’ll get you some cereal in just a second. Let’s go to the room. >> is bouncy room. >> All right, let’s go to the room, okay? We’ll I’m going to get you some cereal in just a second, okay? >> Okay.

>> Y’all watch some cartoons and we’ll >> We need cartoons over there and then find a movie. Is Mommy going to wake up? >> No, just stay in Do y’all have like some TV in here y’all can watch? >> No. Yes, we have >> Our movies are in >> Yeah, pure storage. Is Mommy going to wake up? >> Yes, yes, yes.

 Huh? We’re We’re figuring it out right now, sweetie, okay? >> Well, I know what happened. All I know is that We went to We went to our grandma’s house. >> Uh-huh. >> And Mommy said that her neck is Her neck was already that her neck was already and we went to our grandma’s house and she said something was wrong. >> There’s two of them. >> And she said that my dad Look at this.

And she said >> She what? >> She had said that my dad was on a vacation. Look at my purse. >> Okay, sweetie. >> Look at this. >> Hold on one second, I’m talking. >> And she And then she said something about her neck and then she went to the hospital. >> The hospital? >> And she said And she said that she was sick.

But she said she’s been feeling all right and And And yesterday we went and ate lunch and then today she just went to sleep and I don’t know what’s wrong. >> All right, there’s nothing wrong, okay? >> Is she laying down on the bathroom or what? >> Yeah, she’s just laying down right now, okay? We’re just trying to get her some help, okay? >> Where is she laying down at? >> She’s in the bathroom.

>> Why? >> Maybe she’s not feeling well right now, We just want you to just keep your sister okay. >> ever going to go to Is she ever going to wake up? >> Well, we’re going to figure that out, okay? Everything’s going to No, we we got to stay in here, okay? >> Why? Why? >> Because your grandma’s coming to get y’all right now.

>> How do you know? >> Because I just talked to your grandma on the phone. >> You know her phone number? >> Yeah, she She’s the one that called us, okay? Okay? Your grandma’s coming right now. >> Like Grandma Lucy could like >> Yeah, I know, she’s but she’s been on her way for like 10 minutes, so she’ll be here any minute, okay? >> And she said that >> Make sure your sister’s okay.

>> She said that my dad >> Okay. We’ll figure it out, okay? >> Okay, how do you know where she lives? >> Cuz she No, she called us. Your grandma called us to come check on you guys, and she said she was on her way over here, and that was whenever we first showed up. So, we’ve been here for a while. >> Is she going to pick us up? >> She’s coming to make sure y’all are okay, and she’s coming to pick y’all up, okay? >> She said that my >> From the older child’s behavior, it becomes clear she understands where things are heading. Meanwhile, more

officers arrive on the scene and begin assessing the area. >> I don’t know if my matches are perfect but this second they’re both Okay, what? Downstairs? >> [clears throat] >> Okay. She was face down. I showed her that. It’s okay. >> But the candles were on and stuff, so I had to make sure she wasn’t home alone.

The little girl told me that the little girl this morning told me that her and her grandma She overheard her grandma was saying that her She had a neck injury and that she was trying to go to the hospital because her neck was hurting. And when her dad came back in town, her grandma was saying that her dad was trying to kill her.

 No, I’m >> After a thorough search of the house, officers are set on finding who killed Jessica. Without much doubt, her husband, Brandon, is the primary and most obvious suspect. He is brought in for questioning from the mental facility he had checked into, but his reaction catches officers off guard. >> So, you know you know what the warrant is for, and what what you’re arrested for, and what you’re being charged with right now.

>> Yes. >> Okay. Can you tell me a little bit about that? Do you want to tell me a little bit about that? >> So, um I do suffer from manic bipolar depression disorder. >> Okay. >> And um over time if I you know like me uh don’t treat it, I black out sometimes. And things happen that I actually don’t you know. They happen out of nowhere, and then I’m back to normal like it didn’t happen.

It happens. I’m not excusing it. I said it all to to happen. >> Officers can’t tell if he’s setting up a mental illness plea or moving toward a confession, but they soon find out, and it’s not what they are hoping for. One thing officers notice right away is that Brandon shows no curiosity or grief over his wife’s death, and his focus stays on small details, which raises concern.

Furthermore, it doesn’t help his case that the co-worker he’s been relying on has already spoken to the police, and she is not on his side. From this first round of questioning, officers can’t get anything useful out of Brandon, but that is about to change. The next day, he is brought in again, and this time, officers come in far more prepared.

>> Your Alexa thing works off the Wi-Fi that you’re that y’all have with your cable. >> No, mine. It’s It’s [snorts] the Alexa. That’s my uh >> No, no, no. I’m not but I’m just saying Alexa works off of Wi-Fi. And your phone connected with the Wi-Fi Tuesday night. And the only way your phone could have connected to the Wi-Fi of that apartment is you’d have to been pretty close to it.

>> Because I have [snorts] an app on my phone and what I could do is I can check all the the house It’s called a Xfinity Wi-Fi. And that could be possibly why because I can look I can look and see what’s connected to the Wi-Fi from my Wi-Fi and I I did it It was on the app two times the night before. >> It just automatically synced with the app with the Wi-Fi.

>> Oh, no, my phone was I wasn’t there so >> Officers start with minor pieces of evidence giving Brandon a chance to come clean on his own but he skillfully avoids it and the pressure begins to build. >> The license plate readers take your car up coming to Alvin about 9:00. You were at You were at the office at 2:00.

 I forgot I can get the cross section of the office at 2:00. There is no doubt about that. >> I I didn’t I didn’t do it on purpose. >> Brandon can feel officers aren’t letting him off that easily this time. The walls are starting to close in on him. It is getting clear from Brandon’s body language that he is starting to panic realizing there may be no way out.

 What he says next is even harder to believe. >> Was it on purpose or accidental? >> She told me to. >> I can’t hear you. >> She told you to. >> [laughter] >> Who told you to? >> [laughter] >> Brandon, look at me for a second. Brandon, look at me. Brandon Who told >> Tell me answer this. Was it on purpose or accidental? >> Mhm.

Mhm. >> [laughter] >> Was it on purpose? Or accidental? She said she didn’t want you anymore? She didn’t want to live anymore? She said she wanted you to She wanted you to kill her? You said her family disowned her? Was it intentional [snorts] or was it accidental? So, how did it happen accidentally? >> The words coming out of Brandon’s mouth are outrageous and it isn’t long before officers begin to see through it.

 Still, he continues, doubling down on his far-fetched account and the web of lies around it. >> She was thinking what? >> [music] [snorts] >> She started squeezing like? She just said this was just starting to

get good. I can’t live anymore. >> How long did you squeeze her neck? >> Not long at all. >> What What would be your guess? >> Probably not even a minute. >> So, what happened then? >> Well, then she kind of like fainted and fell into the tub. >> Then what happened? >> And then I don’t know after like she didn’t move like she used to all the time.

It wasn’t It wasn’t even that long. >> So, then what happened? >> So, then I just I didn’t do that part cuz she told me to do it. I didn’t do it long enough for it to happen. I didn’t do it long enough for it to happen. I don’t think I did. >> Officers have had enough. It is one thing to allegedly take the life of his own wife, but then to come up with a story like that and say it so confidently in front of them is something else entirely.

 Their approach shifts, and they take a firmer stance. >> You let her fall in tub. You held her head down under water until she drowned and suffocated. And then you snuck out of the house so the girls wouldn’t know you were there. I’m going to I’m going to I’m going to go out on a limb here, and I’m going to go so far as to say that you are a a monster.

And I’m going to tell you why. Cuz you choked that girl out, shoved her head into that bathtub, and then she drowned. Then you politely and quietly grabbed your and you fled the scene. And then you sit here and cry crocodile tears about doing it. Because she told you to do it. Not only did she tell you to do it, she made you do it.

You sit here and cry and not a damn tear came out of your face. >> I said she choked herself. How many times did you do it? >> You’re saying she pressed her hands in. And then she just blacked out. She fainted. And she fell in the tub. >> But >> She fell in the tub. You know what was on the bottom of that tub under her head? Blood.

Blood. You know why there was blood? Cuz her face was hitting the bottom of that tub. >> No. >> Yeah. >> No. >> That’s That’s evidence, dude. I got pictures of that. Dude, don’t sit here and tell me she fainted and fell in that bathtub >> That’s not what happened. >> and drowned. >> That’s not what happened. >> Then tell me what happened.

>> I told >> Cuz it ain’t what you told me a minute ago. >> That’s That’s what happened. >> That’s not what happened. That’s not what happened. Just stop. Just stop. Brandon, you know that’s not what happened. And you know you have not convinced us. I am I am beyond that at this point. You’re a cold-blooded killer.

>> Brandon finally realizes performance isn’t going to save him, and there’s no way out. And then, at last, he gives a cold, direct confession. >> I’m not I ain’t I was choking >> I’m glad >> I was choking >> Talk us through it. >> I was choking her as I was choking her with my arms. With my hands. And my arms were probably about like this.

And I couldn’t tell you how long it was. If my body was like this and then it but it could have been longer because it was just a a cloudy moment. And when her body went limp, I just turned her around. Cuz she had all my body weight on her. My body weight just dropped and turned her around. Excuse me. And she fell in the [clears throat] tub.

Face down in the tub. But I did not I didn’t bang her head. I didn’t none of that. >> If she hit the banging happened, it probably may have been because she hit her face on the tub as she fell in because she was >> So, when you you was choking I’m just making sure I’m I’m getting it correct you’re saying.

 So, when you’re you’re choking her when she went limp, you turned her around. And then when you turned around, you just Did you just kind of throw her to the tub in anger? >> wasn’t anger. No, it wasn’t anger. I let her fall cuz we backed up like we were standing with the wall. >> Now Now your story’s changing a little. >> No. >> And before, when you said you were here, if you let her fall, she’s not going to fall way over there in that tub.

>> Cuz we was standing a little bit here. I didn’t let her >> You sure? Yeah. >> I was standing We started here. And when it was >> [music] >> We were backing up towards it. Like this here. >> choking her, she’s backing up? >> No, that’s why I’m saying That’s That’s why I was trying to tell you we started here.

And we backed up and we were like this is the toilet right here and this is the tub. And when she had kneeled back, it was like as she fell, I turned her around. >> Why’d you turn her around? >> Cuz I I didn’t want her to get I don’t even know. I was still thinking I didn’t want her to hit her head on the on the back cuz she would have fell back.

 But >> Why are you thinking that when you’re trying to kill her? I don’t Whether she wanted it or whether you wanted it, you’re trying to kill her. Do you agree? >> Yes, sir. >> Finally, Brandon’s trial takes place on June 30th, 2022. He is found guilty of murder and is sentenced to life in